It takes a push in order to see who you are. Living comfortably is safe but if you just stay safe, you don't really learn who you are.   It takes arguments, rough situations, vulnerability, disagreements, embarassment, and making mistakes in roder to see where you stand on things.  Some people would say it takes pain to know the blessings, but if we flip the pain into something that shows us who we are, can we not approach the very same situation with grace and thankfulness? Thankfulness for knowing that what has caused us pain causes us pain will, if we listen, teach us something valuable about ourselves.

This post doesn't really have anything to do with Ecuador or life lessons, but I want to get my thoughts down somewhere about this whirlwind weekend. Some fantastic moments, some painful moments, but it was all beautiful. It was all love.

The longge and the shrt of it.

It's been years since I've made a mix. This one is for me - and it's for you.  Some of these songs are new this year, some have been with me for a long time.  

To all those who challenged me, loved me, hurt me, and were there for me...
To those whom I have challenged in some way, to those whom I have loved, to those whom I have hurt, and to those who I could be there for ...
                   I have become stronger and more in love with you all. 

Happy New Year!

The Longge and the shrt of it.

1. Kendrick Lamar - good kid (good kid,  M.a.a.d City)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqdbxlMlddw

The Longge...

2.  Art Blakey - Free for All (Free for All)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbogvQzDpxM
  ...and the shrt.

3. Gnarls Barkley - Who's gonna save my soul (The Odd Couple)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSy0ZVlFzhc

The challenge(period)

4.  Art Tatum - Humoresque (Piano Starts Here)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59r-IbllHME

and the reward.

5.  Intikana - Boricua Guerrero

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HBmRHzadfE

The fighter -

6.  Haitus Kaiyote - Nakamarra (Tawk Tomahawk)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06NNovw8Z0Y

and the feeler.

7. Compay Segundo - Chan Chan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2dFLlaEaIU

[Lord Voldemort can bite me :) ]

The anthem:

8.  John Coltrane - Resolution (A Love Supreme)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6pSffe4k60

the religion.

9.  Frank Ocean - Sweet Life (Channel ORANGE)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zInf-88f0Hs

 The books

10.  Bjork - Jøga

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6a4GVt_T8g

and the teachers of real life.

11.  Ambrose Akinmusire - Henya (When the Heart Emerges Glistening)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MZR7FPI8ds

The unfortunate truth (how shrt its llegada)

12.  Trampled by Turtles - Alone (Stars and Satellites)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejfMrZQU3Eo 

but how me da la fuerza.

A look at 2013:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vpJmlh2jxQ